How can a unified digital ecosystem—such as the Align Digital Platform—improve dental care at every stage, from data capture, diagnosis, and communication to treatment planning and execution, particularly in multidisciplinary and paediatric dental practices? Key Benefits of a Unified Digital Ecosystem Workflow for Dentists * Advanced Technology Integration: Tools such as the iTero intraoral scanner, iTero Design Suite (powered by exocad CAD/CAM software), and in-practice 3D printing support rapid and highly accurate digital impressions, enabling same-day fabrication of restorations like crowns. * Faster Treatment Times: Digital workflows allow for same-day paediatric restorations—for example, 3D-printed crowns in under 20 minutes—reducing chair time and the number of visits. * Better patient Communication: Intraoral scanners generate detailed 3D models that help dentists explain diagnoses and treatment plans more clearly to patients and parents, fostering trust and treatment acceptance. * Custom Fit and Aesthetics: Each restoration is precisely designed to match individual anatomy, improving comfort, fit, and visual appeal compared with traditional prefabricated options. * Efficiency and Patient Expectations: Today’s patients expect efficient care that fits into their busy schedules. Digital workflows streamline processes, minimize chair time, and enhance both patient satisfaction and practice profitability. * Delegation and Scalability: The integrated digital platform connects scanning, CAD design, and 3D printing, empowering dental teams to handle design and production tasks while dentists focus on clinical care. * Practice Growth: Faster workflows and elevated patient experiences drive higher productivity, improved outcomes, and stronger patient loyalty.

How can a unified digital ecosystem—such as the Align Digital Platform—improve dental care at every stage, from data capture, diagnosis, and communication to treatment planning and execution, particularly in multidisciplinary and paediatric dental practices? Key Benefits of a Unified Digital Ecosystem Workflow for Dentists * Advanced Technology Integration: Tools such as the iTero intraoral scanner, iTero Design Suite (powered by exocad CAD/CAM software), and in-practice 3D printing support rapid and highly accurate digital impressions, enabling same-day fabrication of restorations like crowns. * Faster Treatment Times: Digital workflows allow for same-day paediatric restorations—for example, 3D-printed crowns in under 20 minutes—reducing chair time and the number of visits. * Better patient Communication: Intraoral scanners generate detailed 3D models that help dentists explain diagnoses and treatment plans more clearly to patients and parents, fostering trust and treatment acceptance. * Custom Fit and Aesthetics: Each restoration is precisely designed to match individual anatomy, improving comfort, fit, and visual appeal compared with traditional prefabricated options. * Efficiency and Patient Expectations: Today’s patients expect efficient care that fits into their busy schedules. Digital workflows streamline processes, minimize chair time, and enhance both patient satisfaction and practice profitability. * Delegation and Scalability: The integrated digital platform connects scanning, CAD design, and 3D printing, empowering dental teams to handle design and production tasks while dentists focus on clinical care. * Practice Growth: Faster workflows and elevated patient experiences drive higher productivity, improved outcomes, and stronger patient loyalty.

Purpose The in vivo case report explores whether the iTero Lumina scanner multi-direct capture technology—can overcome common limitations of traditional and previous digital impression techniques in complex, full-arch implant cases, and achieve a passive, accurate prosthetic fit with improved patient experience and clinical workflow Approach   A 72-year-old male with severe mandibular and maxillary dental disease opted for a full-arch mandibular extraction with immediate implant placement and provisional loading. The treatment strategy combined advanced digital planning, fully guided surgical techniques, and digital impression taking. The paper’s clinical focus is on the impression and restorative phase of the mandibular rehabilitation using the novel MDC technology in the iTero Lumina scanner, comparing its practical utility to known challenges in full-arch intraoral scanning.            Key stages 1. Digital planning & Surgical stage * iTero lumina scan & Dicom files were gathered and merged for virtual implant planning using DSD Planning center * Guided extraction and immediate placement of six Straumann implants (All-on-6 concept) using a 3D-printed surgical guide. * A 3D-printed provisional prosthesis was delivered immediately after surgery. 2. Prosthetic Stage * After 4 months, digital impressions of the healed mandibular arch and scan bodies were obtained with the iTero Lumina scanner * The upper provisional denture was scanned for occlusal reference. * The acquired digital data were sent to the dental laboratory for CAD/CAM design and fabrication of a full-arch, metal-ceramic FP3 prosthesis and passive fit was assessed both on the model and intraorally before final delivery. 3. Prosthetic fit & delivery Findings: * The iTero Lumina with MDC technology enabled comprehensive, accurate digital capture of implant positions and surrounding anatomy in a single, efficient scan path. * The scanner’s ability to capture a wide area and multiple angles simultaneously reduced stitching and alignment errors, a common issue in full-arch digital impressions. * The workflow resulted in a precise, passive fit of the final mandibular prosthesis on the first try, with no clinical or radiographic discrepancies. * The patient reported a comfortable, fast, and stress-free experience, benefitting from the scanner’s ergonomic design and non-invasive process. * No complications were observed during healing or after final prosthesis delivery, and the patient achieved high functional and aesthetic satisfaction. * Scanning utilized multi-angled, simultaneous data capture over a wide field of view, reducing the need for sequential scanning and minimizing stitching errors. 🔗 ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE : READ ON PUBMED [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40305061/]    

Purpose The study assessed and compared the full-arch accuracy—of five intraoral scanners (IOS), using three different acquisition technologies. Approach * Used a standardized cast as recommended by ADA/ANSI 132 standard, each scanner was tested across 90 scans with three experienced operators. * Technologies evaluated: * Confocal Imaging: TRIOS5 & CS3800 * Structured Light: Mediti700  & AlliedStar260 * Multi-Direct Capture (MDC): iTero Lumina Key Metrics Assessed & Findings: *  Trueness: Measures closeness of the scan measurements to the actual reference values. *  iTero Lumina (MDC) showed the lowest mean error in trueness (0.04%) outperforming all other scanners. * Precision: Measures consistency across repeated scans. * iTero Lumina (MDC) showed the lowest mean error for precision (0.032%) and highest ratio of acceptable scans (99.6%). * Plane Deviation: Measures vertical error from a reference plane. * Lumina’s mean error was lowest at 19μm, superior to other scanners, statistically significant vs CS 3800 only. * Inter-Operator Variability * iTero Lumina provided the most consistent results across operators. This could translate into reduced technique-sensitivity. Conclusion: * Scanning Technology Matters: MDC technology (iTero Lumina) greatly improved linear accuracy (trueness and precision) in full-arch scans compared to confocal and structured-light scanners. * Clinical Significance: iTero lumina delivered the most reliable and consistent results, and may offer a more accurate, efficient and reliable digital impression solution for full-arch dentistry, though the authors emphasize the need for further research under real-world clinical conditions. * Future Directions: More research is recommended, especially for implant borne restorations in real-world. > Baresel, I., & Baresel, J. (2025). Full arch accuracy of intraoral scanners > with different acquisition technologies: An in vitro study. Journal of > Dentistry, 156, 105703. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdent.2025.105703 🔗 ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE : READ ON SCIENCEDIRECT [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0300571225001484?via%3Dihub]    

Dr. Saravanan’s experience with the iTero Lumina™ scanner highlights how it transformed his dental practice by making patient communication clearer, faster, and more personalized. He found that the scanner’s high-resolution, lifelike 3D images enabled patients to easily see and understand their dental issues, regardless of their psychological profile—whether confident, inquisitive, skeptical, or anxious. Real-time, transparent visuals and progress tracking (including before-and-after comparisons) help skeptical or anxious patients see and believe in the dentist’s assessment and recommendations. This visual clarity-built trust, improved acceptance of treatment plans, and made consultations more efficient. The scanner’s speed and comfort, combined with advanced analytical tools, allowed Dr. Saravanan to engage every patient effectively, resulting in better oral health outcomes and significant practice growth, including a 42% increase in Invisalign® cases and a 66% boost in revenue. Key highlights: 1. Enhanced Practice Image and Efficiency Using fast, comfortable technology like iTero Lumina™ positions the author as modern and advanced. It enables 2.45 times more scans than previous systems, streamlines workflow, and helps build a strong referral base for him. 2. Significant Revenue Growth Introducing iTero Lumina™ led to a 42% increase in Invisalign® cases and a 66% rise in overall practice revenue at the author’s clinic, clearly showing strong business benefits and a solid return on investment. 3. Visual education increases perceived Value iTero Lumina™ scans with the Align™ Oral Health Suite make it easier to personalize communication using 3D visuals, Timelapse, and outcome simulators, based on each patient’s psychology, needs and trust level. This reduces the need to convince patients about the clinical approach. The author found that patients better understood the proposed treatment options and the associated value, leading to greater acceptance of comprehensive and preventive care.

Making the first impression: Building trust in modern doctor-patient relationships Establishing trust in the dentist-patient relationship is a critical aspect of modern dental practice. As the patients become increasingly informed and discerning, the dynamics of this relationship have evolved significantly. Trust is fundamental for effective communication, patient satisfaction, and adherence to treatment plans. The patient needs to feel confident that their dentist is not only skilled but also genuinely cares about their well-being.

Introduction As a general dentist, I am always looking for solutions to make the day-to-day activities of my practice easier for me and my staff and more enjoyable for my established and potential new patients. I want to ensure patients have a memorable time so that they look forward to returning and referring their family and friends to become our patients. This may sound ironic, given the reputation visits to the dentist have had for decades. However, dentistry has changed, and I am proud to be one of those professionals to lead this change. Last year, I incorporated the Align™ Oral Health Suite into my new patient exam and recall and emergency exam workflows. The process was seamless, and the patient-friendly product interface uses language familiar to the person sitting in your dental chair, helps patients follow the conversation where they can actively participate and feel part of the process during a consult. Innovations have been developed since then, and I will describe a clinical case of how I have implemented them into my practice, from scanning, diagnosing, designing, treating, and monitoring

Introduction As a general dentist, I see potential patients walk into my practice with all sorts of oral health issues every day. Most of them are not aware of all that is happening inside their mouths and generally come to see me for issues that are obvious to what they see in front of a mirror or when they are in discomfort and pain. We are traditionally trained to attend to the prospective patient’s chief complaint, and many clinicians have a hard time communicating other important findings. Usually, those findings stay between the clinician and assistant and are kept on paper or your practice management software for months, even years, without being addressed until the next emergency visit. Sometimes, the clinician feels uncomfortable adding other procedures to the treatment plan, fearing that he or she will be labeled as an individual trying to upsell treatment. Unfortunately, we have seen in the media cases of dental professionals taking advantage of people by overtreating them. While these are very few individuals, a bad reputation has impacted the dental guild worldwide. As a professional, I have learned to remove biases and assumptions about the person in the dental chair. I show all the evidence and offer comprehensive treatment plans based on the individual’s perceived needs to provide function and esthetics with long-term solutions, not just repair. To present evidence and deliver comprehensive education, I leverage the power of technology, specifically iTero™ scanners. These devices equip me with the tools to not only attract potential patients to my practice but also help me to create digital records for diagnosis, educate patients for informed decision-making,1 plan, design, treat, and monitor their progress throughout their journey (Figure 1). This emphasis on technology underscores the evolution of dental practice and its benefits for both professionals and patients. I